This pasta primavera is your go-to 30-minute spring and summer dinner. I toss penne with zucchini, asparagus, and green peas, and bring it all to life with Greek yogurt, Italian cheeses, and fresh lemon zest.
For more easy pasta recipes, check out our sun-dried tomato pasta, red pepper pasta, eggplant pasta, and creamy pasta salad.
Introduction
This creamy pasta primavera is the veggie-packed dinner you didnโt know you were craving.
Bold statement, I know. But when fresh seasonal vegetables meet Italian cheeses, magic happens ๐คฉ. My tip? Combine grated Parmigiano with a small handful of Pecorino Romano ๐ค. So good!
Similar to our broccoli pasta, asparagus pasta, and cherry tomato pasta, I use fresh veggies and a healthy dose of cheese for a complete meal.
Growing up in Italy, I tasted every kind of veggie pasta thanks to my Nonna Lidia, who could turn any farmersโ market haul into a cozy meal.
This pasta primavera is my lighter, modern twist โ made with Greek yogurt instead of cream. Louise loves it for the tang, I love it for the creamy texture. It’s one of those low-calorie meals that taste amazing.
Like most of our easy pasta recipes, it’s ready in 30 minutes and packs in 26 grams of vegetarian protein.
Ingredients
Find complete ingredient list, quantities, and substitutions in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.
How to Make Pasta Primavera
Step 1: Sautรฉ the Vegetables โ In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add red onion cooking for a couple of minutes until fragrant and soft. Add mushrooms, asparagus, and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook until they release moisture and start to brown (3 – 4 minutes).
Add zucchini, cooking for a few more minutes. Stir in frozen peas and cook until warmed through. Turn heat off, add zucchini flowers trimming off their stem and folding them in gently to wilt slightly. Taste and adjust for salt.
Step 2: Cook the Pasta โ Cook penne in a large pot of salted boiling water, 1 minute less than the package instructions. Reserve some pasta water before draining.
Step 3: Add Pasta and Cheese โ Add the cooked pasta and reserved pasta water to the skillet with the vegetables. Cook over medium heat for 1 minute, stirring to combine.
Turn off the heat, then stir in Greek yogurt, grated Parmesan, Pecorino, and lemon zest. Toss gently until the cheese melts and the sauce becomes creamy. Add more pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce. Taste and season with salt, adding extra Parmesan if desired.
Step 4: Serve Immediately โ Plate and garnish with more cheese and fresh herbs of choice.
Looking to add more lean protein? Try grilled tofu or chicken, sautรฉed chicken breast, shrimp, or baked tofu chunks. Edamame beans, fava beans, or chickpeas are also excellent options.
Tips
- Go seasonal: Swap in any veggies you like, but aim for a colorful mix with different textures.
- Cut evenly: Uniform pieces cook better and feel better in each bite.
- Cook in stages: Start with firm veggies (asparagus, onions, mushrooms), finish with tender ones (zucchini, peas, flowers).
- Undercook pasta: Boil it 1 minute less than the package says so it finishes perfectly in the sauce.
- Save pasta water: Always reserve a cup before draining the pasta, then add it gradually to bring the sauce together and make it creamy.
- Kill the heat before cheese: Prevent stringy cheese by stirring it in off the heat.
Questions
Sure you can! In fact that’s how we make it. You can easily substitute Greek yogurt, sour cream, or even ricotta cheese for heavy cream to get a lighter, more protein-rich version.
Yes! You can use frozen vegetables such as frozen asparagus, mushrooms, zucchini, and broccoli. You still want to sautรฉ them in the flavor base with olive oil, onion, and garlic for maximum flavor.
The best way to cook vegetables is to do so in stages, adding firmer veggies that take longer to cook first (like mushrooms and asparagus) and quick-cooking veggies last (zucchini, frozen peas, etc). Also, use a large skillet to prevent overcrowding and excess moisture.
Replace yogurt or cream with a non-dairy yogurt or cashew cream. Substitute parmesan with nutritional yeast or with a non-dairy cheese. Use olive oil instead of butter.
The highest sources of sodium in this recipe are the salt in the pasta water and the salt in the sauce. Also, parmesan and pecorino contain sodium. To make this recipe low-sodium reduce the salt, parmesan cheese, and omit pecorino cheese.
Yes! This recipe is high-fiber as it contains a variety of vegetables with plenty of fiber. To boost the fiber content even more you can swap whole grain pasta for regular pasta.
More Easy Pasta Recipes
- Pasta pomodoro
- Chickpea pasta salad
- Pasta alla Norma
- Vegan pasta salad
- Pasta e fagioli
- Penne arrabbiata
- Creamy tomato pasta
- Mushroom ragu
If you tried this Pasta Primavera recipe or any other recipe on our blog, please leave a ๐ star rating and let us know how it goes in the comments. We love hearing from you!
Pasta Primavera
Ingredients
- 12 oz penne sub farfalle or fusilli + salt for pasta water
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ยฝ onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic grated
- 2 cups mushrooms button or cremini
- 1ยฝ cups asparagus trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 medium zucchini quartered lengthwise and sliced
- 1 cup frozen peas no need to thaw
- 1 cup zucchini flowers stem removed and gently torn โ optional but lovely
- ยฝ cup Greek yogurt
- ยฝ cup Parmigiano Reggiano grated, sub Grana Padano or Parmesan
- ยผ cup Pecorino Romano grated, optional โ sub more parmesan
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest juice is optional
- 1 handful fresh herbs choose basil, thyme, or parsley
Instructions
- Sautรฉ the Vegetables: In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add ยฝ onion cooking for a couple of minutes until fragrant and soft. Add 2 cups mushrooms, 1ยฝ cups asparagus, and 3 cloves garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook until they release moisture and start to brown (3 โ 4 minutes).Add 1 medium zucchini, cooking for a few more minutes. Stir in 1 cup frozen peas and cook until warmed through. Turn heat off, add 1 cup zucchini flowers trimming off their stem and folding them in gently to wilt slightly. Taste and adjust for salt.
- Cook the Pasta: Cook 12 oz penne in a large pot of salted boiling water as per package instructions minus 1 minute. Reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining.
- Add Pasta and Cheese: Add the cooked pasta and ยผ cup of reserved pasta water to the skillet with the vegetables.Cook over medium heat for 1 minute, stirring to combine.Turn off the heat, then stir in ยฝ cup Greek yogurt, ยฝ cup Parmigiano Reggiano, ยผ cup Pecorino Romano, and 1 teaspoon lemon zest.Toss gently until the cheese melts and the sauce becomes creamy.Add more pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce. Taste and season with salt, and add extra Parmesan if desired.
- Serve Immediately: Plate and garnish with more cheese and 1 handful fresh herbs of choice.
Notes
- Olive oil โ Avocado oil, vegetable oil, or butter
- Onion โ Shallots, leeks, or green onions
- Garlic โ Garlic powder, shallots, or extra herbs
- Mushrooms โ Eggplant, artichoke hearts, or sun-dried tomatoes
- Asparagus โ Green beans, snap peas, or broccolini
- Zucchini โ Yellow squash, eggplant, or bell peppers
- Zucchini flowers โ Spinach, arugula, or omit
- Greek yogurt โ Sour cream, crรจme fraรฎche, or heavy cream
- Parmesan โ Grana Padano, aged Asiago, or nutritional yeast
- Pecorino Romano โ Extra Parmesan, Manchego, or omit
- Fresh herbs โ Dried Italian seasoning, or basil, parsley, mint, chives, dill
- Lemon zest โ Lemon juice or lime zest
- Go seasonal: Swap in any veggies you like, but aim for a colorful mix with different textures.
- Cut evenly: Uniform pieces cook better and feel better in each bite.
- Cook in stages: Start with firm veggies (asparagus, onions, mushrooms), finish with tender ones (zucchini, peas, flowers).
- Undercook pasta: Boil it 1 minute less than the package says so it finishes perfectly in the sauce.
- Save pasta water: Always reserve a cup before draining the pasta, then add it gradually to bring the sauce together and make it creamy.
- Kill the heat before cheese: Prevent stringy cheese by stirring it in off the heat.
Nutrition
Hi! We are Nico & Louise
Weโre here to share delicious, easy, and healthy plant-based recipes (vegetarian & vegan) ๐ฟโจ.
Welcome to our blog, we are glad you are here.
Thanks for the subs. Looks great!
Loved this recipe. My husband said I can make it every week for him.